Les mmebres du gouvernement ont pris note que Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 sera présenté en première lecture au Parlement, de la promulgation du Motorways and Main Roads (Amendment No. 4) Regulations 2024, sur la mise en action de l’Operational Plan on Leptospirosis entre autres.
1. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 into the National Assembly, which would amend various enactments with a view to meeting international standards of the Financial Action Task Force on anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism and proliferation.
2. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the Water Resources Bill into the National Assembly, which would:
(a) provide a legal framework for the use, management, control, protection, conservation, and sustainable development of resources in Mauritius;
(b) safeguard the immediate and long-term public interest for an equitable access to water;
(c) ensure water security and resilience;
(d) establish a Water Resources Commission; and
(e) promote the efficient use of water.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Motorways and Main Roads (Amendment No. 4) Regulations 2024 in order to amend the description of the Soreze-Chebel-Gros Cailloux Link Road to reflect the official appellation of the Bridge from “A1-M1 Bridge” to “Sir Anerood Jugnauth Bridge”.
4. Cabinet has taken note that the Gambling Regulatory Authority (Technical Standards for Gaming Machine, Limited Payout Machine, Amusement Machine and Server) Regulations 2024 would be promulgated. The Regulations would provide for technical standards to which Gaming Machines, Limited Payout Machines, Amusement Machines and servers should comply with. The standards would ensure that the hardware and software used in the gaming machines provide a safe, secure and fair gaming environment to the players.
5. Cabinet has taken note of the promulgation of the Central Water Authority (Dry Season) (Amendment No. 5) Regulations 2024 to extend its application until 31 July 2024.
6. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection and the COMESA Competition Commission. The Memorandum of Understanding would provide for collaboration in the field of Consumer Protection for, inter alia, the:
(a) implementation of consumer protection laws in order to foster effective enforcement including the review of laws and designing of institutional arrangements;
(b) development of capacity building and technical assistance for competent authorities of Mauritius to enhance effective enforcement of laws;
(c) enforcement activities including, conducting joint investigations; and
(d) elimination of duplicity and lessening the possibilities of divergence through harmonisation of consumer protection laws at national, regional and continental levels.
7. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of a Statut National Étudiant Entrepreneur (SNEE), for students in Higher Education Institutions, with a view to developing an entrepreneurial outline in such institutions, and improving the employability and strengthening the ability of such students to adapt to the socio-professional world. The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie would be supporting the implementation of the project on the SNEE on a pilot basis in Mauritius at the Université des Mascareignes. The SNEE would aim at allowing higher education students to enrol on specific elective subjects related to entrepreneurship and also to replace their final year project with a business plan for entrepreneurial activities.
8. Cabinet has taken note of the upgrading of Mauritius from Tier 2 Watchlist to Tier 2 in the US 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report. The Report is an annual status update on the state of global anti-trafficking efforts. The Report, inter alia, recognised that the Government of Mauritius:
(a) demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period and these efforts included investigating more trafficking cases, including an allegedly complicit official; training law enforcement officials and members of the judiciary on trafficking cases; identifying significantly more trafficking victims, including identifying forced labour victims for the first time in four years; and approving funds for National Action Plan implementation;
(b) amended the anti-trafficking law to strengthen government’s institutional framework to combat trafficking, including the creation of a specialised law enforcement unit in the Police Force and the non-punishment provisions for trafficking victims; and
(c) adopted legislation eliminating worker-paid recruitment fees.
9. Cabinet has agreed to the Mauritius Institute of Education, together with the University of Pretoria, South Africa, co-hosting the Distance Education and Teachers’ Training in Africa Conference from 22 to 25 July 2025 in Mauritius.
The theme of the conference is “Distance Education and Teachers’ Training in Africa” and would include other areas of discussion and sub-themes such as Learner Support, Technology and Online Learning, Capacity Building for Teachers in African Countries. The conference is posited to play a key role towards contributing to the development of Mauritius as a knowledge hub in the region while encouraging more interaction among Mauritian and overseas academics and professionals in the education sector.
10. Cabinet has taken note of the holding of the first Mauritius Renewable Energy International Conference (MARENIC) on the theme “Empowering Tomorrow: Green Energy, Accelerated Transition, Sustainable Future”, organised by the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities, from 10 to 12 July 2024 in Mauritius.
The objective of the MARENIC would be to gain insights into emerging policies, regulations market trends and on the latest trends, innovations, and advancements in renewable energy technologies and practices. The conference would serve as a catalyst for sustainable energy development, fostering collaboration and driving the adoption of Renewable Energy solutions.
11. Cabinet has taken note of the implementation of an Operational Plan on Leptospirosis which would comprise, inter alia, key components such as:
(a) Surveillance, Epidemiological case definition and Case Reporting;
(b) Diagnosis, Triage and Treatment;
(c) Measures for control of Leptospirosis, including collaboration with the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and other stakeholders;
(d) Setting up of a Leptospirosis Steering Committee for monitoring evolution of the disease;
(e) Interventions at the Infection Source; and
(f) Risk communication and community engagement.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness would circulate a copy of the Operational Plan on Leptospirosis to all relevant stakeholders for guidance and compliance.
12. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Annual General Meeting of the Vanilla Islands Organisation, held in the context of the 10th Edition of the International Tourism Fair Madagascar in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Mauritius would take over the Presidency of the Vanilla Islands Organisation for the period 2024/2025.
The following strategic actions were agreed upon by the Member States for the period 2024/2025:
(a) setting up of a “Centre de Ressources Touristiques” to collect data on the Vanilla Islands region with a view to enabling better strategic decision making for the development of tourism in the region. The Centre would be funded by France through Reunion Island;
(b) consolidating the cruise sector with a view to promoting sustainable tourism development in the region; and
(c) exploring the possibility of Vanilla Islands Organisation securing funding for a study on improving air connectivity in the region.
13. Cabinet has taken note that a team from the Regional Office of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) would effect a visit to Mauritius from 26 to 30 August 2024. The objective of the mission is to provide guidance and support to the Department of Civil Aviation with a view to enhancing safety oversight capability and implementation of ICAO provisions, including policies and standards and recommended practices as well as other safety related issues.
14. Cabinet has taken note of the visit of a delegation of the King Saud Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre in Mauritius on 01 July 2024.
15. Cabinet has taken note that, as at 27 June 2024, there were 47 active cases of Dengue Fever in Mauritius, of which four persons had been hospitalised in both public and private hospitals. For Rodrigues, 13 active cases of Dengue Fever had been recorded and three persons were hospitalised.
16. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent participation of the Attorney General, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in the Munich Strategy Retreat held in Bellagio, Italy. The purpose of the Retreat was to promote strategic debate on international foreign policy choices and priorities in view of the upcoming Munich Security Conference which would be held in February 2025.
During the Retreat, the Attorney General intervened in the Inaugural Session entitled “Universal No More? Shared Rules, Norms, and Values in a More Multipolar World”. He also acted as a Panellist on the issue of “Standard Deviation: Towards a More Honest Debate About Double Standards” where he underlined the importance of consistency at all the levels of the international system.
17. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent participation of the Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training in the 112th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILC is an annual event organised by the International Labour Organisation, which brings together representatives of Governments, Workers’ and Employers’ organisations to, amongst others, discuss, establish and adopt international labour standards as well as to focus on key social and labour issues.
The Minister intervened in the plenary session of the Conference where he highlighted the fact that Mauritius was sparing no effort to come up with national policies and actions towards achieving social justice for all. In the margins of the ILC, the African Regional Labour Administration Centre held its 50B Governing Council Meeting.
18. Cabinet has taken note of the appointment of Mr Sarwansingh Purmessur, Acting Senior Chief Executive of the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, as part-time Chairperson of the Board of the Mauritius Oceanography Institute.
19. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Executive Committee of the National Youth Council for a period of two years, with Ms Varsha Atchamah as part-time Chairperson.
